Lines for trawl nets



Feb. 5, 1963 F. J. LUKETA 3,076,281

LINES FOR TRAWL NETS 5 SheetsSheet 1 Filed Oct. 31, 1961 IN VEN TOR. FRANK 1/. ll/K-TA.

BY W Y' ArraR/vrS Feb. 5, 1963 F. J. LUKETA 3,076,281

muss FOR mm. m-zws Filed on. 31. 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. FRANK 1/. luff/A A fray/w n? Feb. 5, 1963 F. J. LUKETA 3,076,231

LINES FOR TRAWL NETS Filed Oct. 31. 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR/ FRANK 1/. Jun 74 Feb. 5, 1963 F. J. LUKETA 3,075,231

LINES FOR TRAWL NETS Filed 001;. 31, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. FRANK J 111K672 Feb. 5, 1963 I F. J. LUKETA 3,076,281

LINES FOR TRAWL NETS v Filed 001:. 51, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FRANK J. weer/1 Un ed, S ates Paten Qfi c 3,076,281 iatented Feb. 5,1963

FOR NETS I I Frank J. Luketa, 5567 Greenwood Ave, Seattle, Wash.

Filed OCLBI, 1961, Set. Nth-149,007 14 Claims. (Cl. 43---9) his invention is related totwo companion applications bearing the antenna as this application, Serial Nos. 154,- asa (Case A and 146,537 (Case B), respeeuvei both filed Qctober 20,1961. Those applications, and this one, concern the application of a line to an edge of a net, such inanne'r that the line is aligned with the edge bar of the net, with no tendency to produce torsion in the line such as would enwrap the netting about theline. Such lines, whether a ground line which drags along the bottom, or a fioiat line which supports an upper edge of a net com ponent, normally include a stranded steelcab l e core that should he protected against wearby such hieahs as a casinlg of rubber-like material or other wearresistant materia Case B shows a casing which closely embraces the cable, and which, being of minimum frontal area, produces minimum of drag. This is especially necessary in long lines, such as are employed certain nets of my invention. In standard nets, on the contrary, the corresponding lines are short, the twine size very heavy, and the nets-me shes are inclined to be closed tension, use, and to create large drag forcesphence the added water drag of the lines is relatively negligible. It is advantageous, where such conditions prevail/to enlarge the diameter of the casing, and to thread it onto the cable by relative endwise movement. To facilitate this the cable end is formed witha swaged-on terminal fitting, somewhat larger in diameter than the cable, and certain casing elements have enlarged bores to'pas s this teiminal fitting. Other casing elements be so related as the cable, and to the elements of enlarged bore, that the lat ter are held properly spaced from the cable, and when required, that the complemental elements, and the ele; ments of enlarged bore also if need be, are heldIagairist rotation about the cable. Also, the terminal element oh the cable must be secured to a complemental fitting to connect the line to other components of the trawlner, and the junction so effected must be protected against wear. Thereby allparts of the core are protected, and if the complemental fitting should become'worn, it an be readily replaced at small cost as can casing elements, and the cable core with its swaged terminals is continued in use indefinitely. This produces large economies. ,I

It is believed the above will indicate the general obi jeets of this invention, and other and detailed objects will be understood as this specificatioii progresses.

Iii the accompanying drawings: I II FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a standard trawl net, of the type with which the present invention is in tended for use. I I I FIGURE/2 is an elevational view of the lower edge of a net panel, showing part of a casing element and the terminal element in axial section. I

FIGURE 3 is an isometric View of a resilient spacer element, suitable for use in this assembly, in relaxed con-' dition.

FIGURE 4 is an isometric exploded view of a' nart of a sleeve, and a spacer element in the closed position.

FIGURE 5 is an isometric view of thecomplete as-. sembly, including in particular a terminalele'ment, all in positions of use.

I FIGURE 6 is an isometric View, somewhat as in FIG: URE 4, but showing a modified form of spacerelement for non-rotative engagement between the latter and the sleeve. A FIGURE 7 is an isometric View similar to FIGURE 2 4, showing a specifically dilferent form of spacer element and sleeve. I

FIGURE 8 is an exploded isometric view of the asserr -bly which in FIGURE 5 is shown fullyassernbled.

FIGURE 9 is an isometric view, similar to FIGURE 4, of a further modified form or spacer element and sleeve. II I v I I I FIGURE 10 is aneelvatjional view, with the casing largely in section, of the lower edge of a net, Showing a runner rii'odificat'io'n'aFlGURE 11 is an isometric view or the same; FIGURE 12 is across-sectional view at the line 12 12'of FIGURE 10; FIGURE 13 is anisonietric view, of a relaxed spacer element of this form; and FIG- URE 14 is" an xploded isometric view of most parts of a o, om tt n p m l he leeves. v

. 'FIGURE l5 is an upper edge elevation-a1 view of astill further modification, shown partly in section; FIGURE 16 is an isometric View of the same; FIGURE 17 is a cross-section at th'e li ne 17 1 7 of FIGURE 15; and FIGURE 18 is an isometric view of the spacer element d in thisfd m; H

I A standard trawnet'is shown in FIGURE 1. It comprises the codend 8 closed at its after end and open at its forward end to a funnelhll, from the forward edges of which extend wings 81. I The wings are connected by sweep lines to the top and bottom of a door 7, towed by a towing warp 70, and so oriented as te urge the wings apart at their forward ends by water reaction A float line 99is secured along the upper edge of the wings and across the upper bosom a, all of which is buoyed up by floats 80b, and aground line 9 5 is secured along the lower edge of the wings, and across the lower bosoni 800. It is with these lines and 99'that thisinvention is principally concerned, and with their protection and their orientation relative to the wing panels and bosom panels.

As has been explained in the companion cases A and B, lines such as the ground line 95, or the float line 99, must be attached to edge bars or points of netting panels, 81 for example, in such manner as to avoid torsional force upon the line, such as would tend to enwrap the line with the netting; and so would distort the netting. Chafing of any netting enwrapped about the ground line would soon wear out the netting, requiring repair or replacement. Enwrapment of the netting about'the float line is also to be avoided, for this will distort the netting, and may foul the same with the floats. Means to align the lines along the edge of the netting are shown in case B, but it pertains primarily to long lines of nets which employ curtains of considerable length, free at their lower edge, rather than to standard nets which have relatively short wings, and in such long lines the casing 'of the cable must be of minimum frontal area, and closely hugs the cable. Here the short wings themselves are the principal source of drag, and the casing about the cable need not be as much reduced in diameter. The casing herein being of greater external diameter, permits the use of constructions which are preferable from the standpoint of ease of assembly and disassembly, and from that of centralization of the cable within casing elements from which it is spaced. This form of the invention also assures that the edge bar will not be shortened where it is engaged by ties, hence that all mesheswill be of equal extent, and that the edge bar will be of equal length to all parallel bars.

The specific aligning means shown herein differs in detail and constructionfrom that disclosed in case A (which is also primarily intended forstandard trawl nets), and will be claimed herein; It includes spacer elements generally indicated by the numeral 3, each having a cable"- encircling portion 30 and a radially directed arm 31 formed with a bore 32 parallel to the cable-receiving bore, to encircle the edge bar of the netting, and to be aligned with the corresponding bores of successive spacer elements at intervals along the line 95. Sleeves 1 are interspersed between the spacer elements 3, each of a length to locate the latter at multiples of the breadth of mesh squares-four or five squares, for example, as shown. They are threaded or otherwise mounted upon the stranded wire cable 95a from the ends of the latter.

The spacer elements 3 are split along a plane common to the axes of the cable 95a and the bore 32, and are made of somewhat flexible and wear-resistant material, such as molded rubber, nylon or polypropylene, whereby when the cable 95a is entered within its cable-encircling bore 35 the two halves of the arm 31 can be drawn together to engage the cable closely, and to close the bore 32 about the edge bar of the net 81. Ties 14a, encircling at least the outer end of the arm 31 and the edge bar gripped thereby, and in one version (see FIGURES l2 and 13) passing through apertures 33 in the arm 31, transverse to the spacers parallel bores, retain the spacer elements 3 closed. The spacer elements preferably (in most cases) may be sufficiently free about the cable 95a and/or of material such as molded nylon, sufficiently low in friction to permit free rotation about the cable, but elements in this version such as the inwardly directed points 13f (FIGURES 7 and 9) within the bore 35 are urged by the closing of the bore into engagement with the lays of the cable 95a, to prevent relative rotation.

The spacer elements 3, in the forms of FIGURES 2 to 9, are formed with axially directed extensions 34 along the cable 95a, of an external diameter to fit within the bore 15 of the sleeves 1. The sleeves may be permitted to rotate relative to the extensions 34, for the sleeves are not connected to the netting, or rotation may be prevented by axially interengaged splines 35a and grooves 16 (FIG- URE 6). The cable 95a is of a diameter less than that of the bores 15, and the construction described insures that the sleeves and the spacer elements remain in alignment and are coaxial with the cable 95a, with the sleeves spaced radially about the cable.

The cable 95a is made of a length quite exactly corresponding to the assembled length of the sleeves and spacer elements, plus a suificient excess at the ends to allow the cable ends 97 to be removably anchored. Since the bore 15 is oversize with relation to the cable, a terminal fitting 950 is swagecl upon the ends of the cable, and is made sufiiciently small to push or thread it through successive sleeves. This fitting 95c is squared or otherwise flattened or formed at 95d for engagement by a wrench, and its tip is threaded at 95a to thread within the bore of a complementally threaded anchor fitting 97k by means of which the cable 95a is anchored to a sweep line 96, for example, through a shackle 97a. A shackle 97b may also anchor a breast line 970 to the fitting 97k.

Inasmuch as the terminal fitting 95c, and its flats 95d, must be accessible to engage the line 95 with the anchor fitting 97k or to disengage it therefrom, it is clear that some portion of the terminal fitting 95c, and some part of the length of the cable 95a will be exposed, and if wear occurs there the entire cable would have to be removed and discmded. This would be expensive in time, labor and parts. To avoid any such possibility of wear, a split but flexible sleeve 98 of wear-resistant material is formed with a bore of a size to receive the fitting 95c, the extension 34, and of course the smaller cable 95a, and of a length to fit snugly between the end of the last spacer element 3 and the anchor fitting 97k. After assembly of the line and anchor fittings the split sleeve 98 is fitted as shown in FIGURES 2 and 5 and tied together at 93a. Now the cable and the fitting 950 are wholly enclosed and protected. The anchor fitting 97k will wear, but it is relatively inexpensive, and is easily replaced.

One advantage of the form of the spacer elements shown herein, over those shown in case A is that the edge bar of the netting extends in a straight line, and need not be drawn from the straight line to engage within aligning notches, however short, which extend lengthwise of the sleeves and spacer elements. Rather, the edge bar is straight throughout its length, and there is no difference in length between any net bars, such as would tend to distort the net. Also, and differing from the forms of case A, the ties 14a are located, in one version (see FIG- URES 10 and 11), where there is no probability of their dragging the bottom, and the spacers need not be reduced in diameter to protect ties that encircle the lower part of the spacer elements. The ties in this version encircle only the upper part, the arm 31, and pass through transverse apertures 33 located intermediate the bores 32 and 35.

The form shown in FIGURES 10 to 14 is not greatly different from those of the preceding figures, except in the sleeve elements of the casing. Here the external wearresisting portion of each sleeve 1 may be circumferentially continuous, but any space between its bore, which is large enough to pass the terminal fitting c, and the cable 95a is occupied by longitudinally split and flexible fillers 17 and by flanged split fillers 17a, which enter the bore of the sleeve 1 instead of the extensions 34. The spacers 3 have no such extensions. If the flanged fillers 17a are of molded nylon, and perhaps also the fillers 17, the external sleeves 1 can rotate freely about them, and equalize wear round about sleeve 1. The spacers 3 may also be rotatable about the cable 95a, in which case alignment of the line is a result of its ability to rotate into correct alignment as it hangs from the netting, or in a float line, as the netting hangs from the same.

The forms shown in FIGURES 15 to 18 resemble that of FIGURES 10 to 14, except that the flanged fillers 17a are not used, and a single long split filler 17b fills the bore of the non-split external sleeve 1. The outstanding arms 31 of the longitudinally split spacer elements are replaced in spacers 3a by two pairs of cars 33a, one pair at each side of a tie, spaced to straddle the nets edge bar, and separated by a circumferential groove 34a wherein the ties 14a are received. The ties hold the spacer elements 3a closed about the cable, and hold the edge bar within the slots between paired ears 33a.

In most instances, the forms shown in FIGURES 10 to 18 are preferred for use with conventional trawl nets. It is desirable with such nets to provide casing elements which are rotatable or slidable relative to the cable. In this way it is possible to assure that wear about the annular cross section of the sleeves will be uniform, and that the overall resistance of the arrangement to the forward movement of the ground line over the bottom during trawling will be kept to a minimum. Most significantly, where the casing elements are free to rotate and slide along the cable, it is possible to hang the net panels on the line without regard for netting alignment longitudinally of the line, for the netting will align itself automatical- 1y under water stress during the trawling operation.

Therefore, in these forms the present invention provides for mounting the casing elements on the cable so as to be freely rotatable thereon. The split spacers 3 and 3a are sized to be freely rotatable on the cable and the sleeves 1 are similarly sized to be freely rotatable about the split fillers 17 and 17a. Moreover, by sizing the split fillers so that they will be longer than the sleeves and will extend outside the ends of the bores therein to abut the spacers and retain them in normally spaced relation to the sleeves, the arrangement precludes the possibility that tension transmitted to the spacers by net under tow will bind the sleeves and prevent their rotation. Instead, the split fillers bear any compressive forces transferred through the spacers, while the sleeves remain free to rotate on them without enwrapping the spacers and netting about the line. Furthermore, in these forms there are no extensions on the spacers, and they therefore may be easily and rapidly replaced, in case of damage to one or more of them, without the necessity for removing other undamaged spacers from the cable at the same time, such as by cutting their ties and Sliding them along the cable with the other casing elements. If a sleeve is damaged, it can be replaced with one of the split type, which is then cemented along the split or secured with ties depressed into circumferential grooves in the sleeve to engage it within the arrangement.

Reference has been made above to edge bars of the nets wings and their engagement with elements of the line. Instead of the netting edges being bar cut, they may be point-cut, or taper-cut. The present invention is still highly useful in either such case, for the spacers are located at equal distances along the line, and it is easy to count the required number of points between spacers. Thereby it is unlikely that the netting will be stretched in one part of its length, or crowded together in another part; all parts will be connected at proper intervals. Wherever reference is made herein to the edge bar of a net, the point-cut or taper-cut edge of the net is intended to be included in that term.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a trawl net wing or the like, a line for securement along the edge of said trawl net wing, said line including a cable of given diameter, spacer elements split longitudinally to fit upon said cable at given intervals in its length, and having means spaced radially of the cable to engage anedge bar of the wing, cover sleeves of continuous annular form in cross section, each with a bore larger than the given diameter of the cable, fitted thereon intermediate the spacer elements, to define collectively a protective casing which stops short of the cables end, a terminal fitting secured on such end of the cable, and of a diameter to thread through the sleeves bores, an anchor fitting for securement of said terminal fitting, a split sleeve enclosing the terminal fitting and the end of the line, and abutting the terminal fitting, to fill the gap between the last casing element and the anchor fitting, and ties enwrapping said split sleeve and the edge-bar-engaging means of the spacer elements.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein the spacer elements are formed with extensions longitudinally of the cable, of a size to fit within the ends of the bores of the intermediate sleeves, and to retain the latter equidistantly spaced from the cable.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein the spacer elements each have means on the wall of the bore therein to interengage with the cable and prevent rotation of the respective spacer element relative to the cable.

4. The combination of claim 3, wherein the spacer elements and the intermediate sleeves are complementally formed for interengagement to prevent their relative rotation.

5. The combination of claim 2, wherein the extensions are of a low-friction material, whereby the intermediate sleeves may rotate thereab-out.

6. The combination of claim 1, wherein each spacer element is formed with two substantially parallel bores, and is split along a plane common to said bores, one bore being of a size to enclose the cable, and the other to receive the edge bar of the net wing, each spacer element having also a bore transversely of and intermediate its parallel bores, and a tie received in said transverse bore and encircling the nets edge bar, to retain the 6 spacer element in engagement with the net wing, and with the cable.

7. The combination of claim 1, further comprising longitudinally-split filler sleeves engaged in each cover sleeve bore between the cable and the respective sleeve.

8. The combination of claim 7, wherein the spacer elements and the cover sleeves are spaced from one another longitudinally of the cable and each filler sleeve extends outside the ends of its respective cover sleeve bore into abutment with the adjacent spacer elements.

9. The combination of claim 8, wherein the end portions of each filler sleeve have flanges thereon engaged in the space between the respective cover sleeve and said adjacent spacer elements.

10. The combination of claim '1, wherein the protective casing is rotatively mounted on the cable.

11. In combination with a trawl net wing and a line secured along an edge thereof, said line including a cable of a given diameter, and a protective casing including a plurality of spacer elements located at regular intervals along the cable, and a plurality of sleeves disposed about the cable intermediate the spacer elements, each spacer element being formed with two parallel bores, one of a size to receive the cable, and the other of a size to receive the edge bar of the nets wing, and the spacer element being split part-way from one end along a plane common to the two parallel bores, and a tie embracing at least part of the spacer elements split end, to retain the spacer element in engagement with the cable and with the wings edge bar.

12. The combination of claim 1d, wherein the spacer element is split inwardly from its edge-bar engaging end, and is also formed with a bore transverse to its parallel bores, and intermediate the same, the tie passing through said transverse bore and encircling the split end.

13. In combination with a trawl net wing or the like and a line secured along an edge thereof, said line including a cable of a given diameter, and a protective casing including a plurality of spacer elements distributed at regular intervals along the cable, and a plurality of sleeves disposed about the cable intermediate the spacer elements, each spacer element being split longitudinally along one side to fit about the cable, and being formed with means cngageable at opposite sides of the nets edge to align the line with such edge, and a tie encircling at least part of each spacer element and the nets edge, to retain the split spacer element closed and tied to the net.

14. The combination of claim 13, wherein each spacer element is formed with two pairs of cars spaced at opposite sides of the net to receive the edge thereof between them, and a circumferential groove spacing the pairs apart in the longitudinal direction, and the tie lying in such circumferential groove, to retain the spacer element closed about the cable and tied to the edge bar of the net.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,557,240 Shigaki June 19, 1951 2,894,366 Leckie July 14, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 153,214 Sweden Jan. 24, 1956 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A TRAWL NET WING OR THE LIKE, A LINE FOR SECUREMENT ALONG THE EDGE OF SAID TRAWL NET WING, SAID LINE INCLUDING A CABLE OF GIVEN DIAMETER, SPACER ELEMENTS SPLIT LONGITUDINALLY TO FIT UPON SAID CABLE AT GIVEN INTERVALS IN ITS LENGTH, AND HAVING MEANS SPACED RADIALLY OF THE CABLE TO ENGAGE AN EDGE BAR OF THE WING, COVER SLEEVES OF CONTINUOUS ANNULAR FORM IN CROSS SECTION, EACH WITH A BORE LARGER THAN THE GIVEN DIAMETER OF THE CABLE, FITTED THEREON INTERMEDIATE THE SPACER ELEMENTS, TO DEFINE COLLECTIVELY A PROTECTIVE CASING WHICH STOPS SHORT OF THE CABLES END, A TERMINAL FITTING SECURED ON SUCH END OF THE CABLE, AND OF A DIAMETER TO THREAD THROUGH THE SLEEVES'' BORES, AN ANCHOR FITTING FOR SECUREMENT OF SAID TERMINAL FITTING, A SPLIT SLEEVE ENCLOSING THE TERMINAL FITTING AND THE END OF THE LINE, AND ABUTTING THE TERMINAL FITTING, TO FILL THE GAP BETWEEN THE LAST CASING ELEMENT AND THE ANCHOR FITTING, AND TIES ENWRAPPING SAID SPLIT SLEEVE AND THE EDGE-BAR-ENGAGING MEANS OF THE SPACER ELEMENTS. 